THE BANQUET AT THE ROYAL PALACE: PART 1

The night where the stars shone so brightly and casted soft lights where the flowers bloom splendidly at the Duke's garden made the surroundings look so dramatic and romantic under the dark sky.

Leticia was in awe. It would be nice to go on a stroll with the night breeze passing through the fabric and softly caressing her skin. While her chocolate hair swept on her shoulder and waved every time she moved.

However, Leticia was stuck in the ballroom located at the ground floor of the mansion.

"Haa! Haa! Haa…"

Leticia panted as her chest moved up and down while her eyes looked outside. She could only look at the view of the garden through the ceiling-to-floor window of the room. Trying to overcome her tiredness by seeing the therapeutic view.

"I think we've done enough practice." Hugh said to Hans as he supported Leticia's back while she took a breath.

Leticia nodded her head. While Hans stopped his long fingers from touching the keys of the piano and stood.

"I also think so, My Lady has prepared enough. I'm proud to say that she won't embarrass Your Grace at the banquet."

'So, I barely passed?!' Leticia thought as she heard Hans with his tone of voice that derived from emotion.

As she turned her head to look at Hans, Leticia saw the mid-30 old man smile softly but she could see his colored turquoise orbs glint and were slightly raised on the corner.

'His eyes are telling me to do my job well…'

As Hans leaves, Hugh and Leticia are left inside the room, as they sit at the sofa next to the ceiling-to-floor window.

Their shadow cast upon the red carpet floor as the moon still brightly shine from outside.

Hugh suddenly looked at Leticia, "Hans told me that you've made so much progress that he couldn't believe you're a commoner before."

Leticia's eyes that were glued to the floor glanced at her side where Hugh was still looking at her and she replied, "Is that so…?"

She sounded so passive that Hugh chuckled in amusement.

"I thought you'd be glad that you are praised for your efforts but I guess I'm wrong."

"There's no one in this world who doesn't like to be praised but I get to pick the person who I'll appreciate their opinion..."

'And Hans is not of them...' she didn't say it out loud and only thought to herself.

There was still a feeling that Hans was looking and observing her closely with suspicions in his eyes so, that was why she can't appreciate his words at all.

Hugh understood where she's coming from. In the noble society, there will be aristocrats who will praise you non-stop but their words have no weight on them.

It's like you were given a bottle of a luxurious wine. You felt happy to have the first sip but got disappointed when you learned that it's just an empty bottle. It's like that feeling...

"I'll appreciate their words after I get the job done."

"...I see."

Hugh stared at Leticia's hands that were clenched. He saw how determined she looked.

He held her hand and slowly kissed the back of her palm and looked up at her with anticipation. "I looked forward to what spectacle my fiancé will do tomorrow."

She smirks in response. "Don't worry Hugh, you won't be disappointed."

***

The day of the banquet...

The maids were so busy even before dawn and Leticia was held captive by them. She was not allowed to leave the room until the time of departure.

Leticia was amazed at the enthusiasm of the maids to make her beautiful but at the same time she was tired of them.

Leticia took a rose bath after she woke up before dawn and got a massage on her whole body with perfume oils. Put a facial mask on her face and trimmed and painted her nails. Comb her chocolate hair a multiple times and put scented oils in them to make it shine more.

Leticia melted at the hands of the maids who took care of everything for her but the only thing that she complained about was that she could only take a glass of water and a slice of apple the whole time that she was held captive by the maids.

And Hazel was the one so strict about it!

"Lady Leticia, you can eat and enjoy the luxurious food prepared at the banquet but for now you should refrain from eating so that you'll fit perfectly in this beautiful dress!"

Hazel said with a smile pasted on her small face as she presented the blue and black evening dress stitched with small jewels that made it looked like the dress was inspired by the night sky.

She was so excited about it since the dress came from the Mystique Boutique, an exclusive salon that the most prominent young ladies go to. As well as one of the trend-setter salons in the noble society and owned by Lady Montana.

'Because the name of the Duke was used to get all the dresses as well as the jewels and shoes from the exclusive store of Lady Montana, I was surprised that they could prepare this just for me in a matter of days.' Leticia thought as she remembered the day that the seamstress and the designer of the shop came to the mansion with such respect.

'But I was disappointed that Lady Montana didn't come. I thought she would show up since the name of the Duke was used for the order.' she added.

Thinking that she could befriend her early so she could have an acquaintance at the banquet.

But since that didn't happen, she came to a conclusion that she really needed to see the Lady who owned the salon where most of the dresses are to her taste.

"Oh my goodness! Lady Leticia! You look so beautiful! No! You look so gorgeous!!" Hazel said which woke up Leticia from distraction. She didn't even notice that she was finished dressing up.

"Wow! Lady, you're so pretty!" one of the maids said as she agreed to Hazel's excitement!

"You're going to be the belle of the banquet for sure!"

"That's right! You're really beautiful even before but now you look like a goddess who descended from heaven!"

The praises of the maids are getting exaggerated that Leticia felt awkward to them.

Still, she wonders how much she changed in appearance as she experienced a whole lot of beauty regimen from the past few days.

Leticia stood in front of the mirror and was speechless!

She even wondered who the woman in front of her was because she couldn't recognize her own face that was dolled up.

She had light make-up which made her look delicate but still emphasized her distinct features like her golden eyes and rosy lips which added boldness to her whole face.

Her chocolate wavy hair that was half-tied into a braid and was decorated with hairpins that have a golden color gem made it look like she was decorated with stars.

Lastly, her evening dress which was two-tone, blue and black, contrasted her white skin. While the tip of the dress was like a bloom of a flower, the rest of the fabric holds her curves like it was part of her skin. Which adds sophistication and allure.

The dress was really made just for her!

***

Hugh was waiting at the end of the stair near the entrance of the house. He was talking to Hans, Austin, and Salis while waiting for Leticia to go down.

"Did I make you wait for too long, Your Grace?" she asked.

"Whoa…" Austin gasped in amazement.

"Sister…" Salis didn't finish his words and was left speechless.

Austin and Salis that were facing the stairs saw her go down slowly with grace and their eyes went round in surprise.

Hans who was standing by Hugh's side saw the complete product of his strict teachings to Leticia that he unknowingly smiled, feeling the fruit of his labor.

Meanwhile, Hugh whose back was facing the stair turned around seeing his two knights reaction.

His eyes went wide in amazement at Leticia's appearance and he couldn't help but to follow her movements even to the smallest details like her fingers touching the fabric of her evening gown or her eyelashes that flap like a butterfly as she blinked and stared down at them.

Leticia's every move made him speechless.

Suddenly his mood became sour thinking that he was not the one to see her first. And that there's a lot more people who will see her at the banquet!

But why?

'Why am I thinking like this?!'

"Your Grace?" Leticia called.

Hugh crumpled his forehead hearing again that the title came out from her mouth.

"Why are you calling me that again?"

There was sharpness in his tone that he unconsciously let go.

Leticia blink. "I can't call your name just like that in public. Especially in front of the nobility."

"But we're still not at the Royal Palace"

Leticia blinked again while looking up at him who had a sour look on his face. Knowing nothing what goes inside the head of this man.

She then hooked her arm to his and whispered to him, "I'll still call your name when it's just the two of us but right now I'm doing my role as your fiance. The nobles will nitpick on me if I suddenly call your name just like that. So, it's better to be formal when there's people."

Hugh's eyebrows came closer to each other more than before as he frowned. Not liking what she said but also understanding that she's right.

Leticia giggled when she saw Hugh's reaction that she recently understood as time passed by, "Don't worry, I'll make sure that everyone will see us as an intimate couple even if we address each other with formality."

The crease on Hugh's forehead flattened as quickly as he heard Leticia's promise.

"I see. I'll look forward to how you will do that, my lovely fiance..." Hugh said as he whispered.

The two of them ride on the carriage going to the Royal Palace.

Their eyes have different emotions showing in them. One is with determination to do her best and the other one is with excitement and anticipation in his eyes.

They both wonder what will happen once they set foot inside the Royal Palace.